Information communication apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a facsimile machine having a larger cover plate capable of serving as a manuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray. A facsimile machine comprises a main body including an operation panel provided at its front end, a manuscript inlet opening provided at its substantially the center, and a recording paper outlet opening provided behind the manuscript inlet opening. A tray serving as a manuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray is hingedly supported at a rear end of the main body so as to be opened or closed between an opened position where the tray extends rearward and obliquely upward and a closed position where the tray covers the upper surface of the main body. And, the tray has a longer length enough to reach the front edge of the main body when it is closed, and is formed with a cutout at its front end so as to expose the operation panel even when the tray is closed. Furthermore, the operation panel includes a plurality of buttons obliquely arrayed with respect to the front edge of the main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information communication apparatussuch as a facsimile machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

First of all, in a conventional art, there has been known an informationcommunication apparatus such as a facsimile machine, as shown in FIG. 7,which comprises a manuscript inlet opening 2 provided at central portionof an upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, a recording paperoutlet opening 3 provided behind the manuscript inlet hole 2, and arecording paper tray 4 disposed behind the recording paper outletopening 3 so as to serve as a manuscript holder as well as a recordingpaper holder. This recording paper tray 4 is an insertion type that isdetachably installed on the apparatus main body 1 as occasion demands.Moreover, a reference numeral 5 denotes a manuscript outlet.

However, such a conventional apparatus is not preferable in view ofspace utility, because the recording paper tray 4 undesirably protrudesrearward and upward from the apparatus main body 1. That is, a spacerequired for installing such a conventional information communicationapparatus becomes fairly larger than the occupying space of theapparatus main body 1 itself, because of this reawardly and upwardlyextending paper tray 4.

Furthermore, according to the conventional constitution,, the system inthe apparatus main body 1 tends to be contaminated by dusts or smallparticles in the air, since the manuscript inlet opening 2 is alwaysopened to the air. In the worst case, such a contamination may inducefunction errors in ordinary communication operations of the informationcommunication apparatus.

In order to solve above problem, the Japanese Unexamined PatentApplication No. SHO 64-10773 proposes to newly provide a cover platehingedly supported on the upper portion of the communication apparatus.That is, with this proposed arrangement, the manuscript inlet opening isconcealed together with an operation panel located in the periphery ofthe manuscript inlet opening by closing the cover plate. To thecontrary, this cover plate can be used as a manuscript holder bylocating it at its opened position.

However, the above proposed apparatus disclosed in the JapaneseUnexamined Patent Application No. SHO 64-10773 is not convenient yet inthe following point.

In the proposed apparatus, the cover plate is provided in front of therecording paper outlet opening. Such a structure can merely let thecover plate serve as a manuscript holder, not as a recording paper tray.Furthermore, the cover plate is designed to cover a relatively smallarea on the upper surface of the apparatus. Therefore, when the coverplate is raised up so as to be used as a manuscript holder, the lengthof the cover plate is not sufficiently long enough to hold themanuscripts stably. Moreover, other inconvenience is that the coverplate must be opened every time when the operation panel is manipulatedfor ordinary communication purposes such as a normal telephone call.

Secondly, in the conventional art, there are many informationcommunication apparatus including dialing buttons of push button type.Usually, these dialing buttons consists of twelve push buttons arrayedinto four lines each including three buttons; i.e. in a form of a matrixof three rows and four lines. And further, a layout of these dialingbuttons is usually designed in such a manner that these rows and linesare disposed in parallel with or normal to the front edge of theapparatus main body.

However, it is found by the inventor of the present application thatsuch a conventional button layout is not so easy to operate, when anoperator stands to directly oppose to these dialing buttons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

First of all, the present invention has a purpose, in view of aboveproblems and disadvantages encountered in the conventional art, toprovide an information communication apparatus such as a facsimilemachine wherein there is provided a larger cover plate capable ofserving as a manuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray,thereby realizing an improved information communication apparatus havinggood operability without unnecessary increasing the apparatus size as awhole.

To accomplish this end, a first aspect of the present invention providesan information communication apparatus comprising: an apparatus mainbody; an operation panel portion provided at a front end of an uppersurface of the apparatus main body; a manuscript inlet opening providedat substantially the center of the upper surface of said apparatus mainbody; a recording paper outlet opening provided behind the manuscriptinlet opening on said apparatus main body; and a tray serving as amanuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray (i.e. a combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray) which is hingedly supportedat a rear end of the apparatus main body so as to be opened or closedbetween an opened position where the tray extends rearward and obliquelyupward and a closed position where the tray covers the upper surface ofthe apparatus main body.

And, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray has alonger length enough to reach the front edge of the apparatus main bodywhen it is fallen to its closed position. Furthermore, this combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray is formed with a cutout atits front end so that the operation panel portion can be exposed evenwhen the manuscript holder and combined recording paper tray ispositioned at the closed position.

With this arrangement, when the combined manuscript holder and recordingpaper tray is closed, it serves as a cover plate concealing themanuscript inlet opening so as to prevent any dusts or small particlesfrom entering into the apparatus main body through the manuscript inletopening.

Furthermore, in this case, the operation panel portion located on thecenter of the front end of the apparatus main body can be manipulatedsince it exposes through the cutout formed on the combined manuscriptholder and recording paper tray. Therefore, for example, in the casewhen the apparatus is used simply as a telephone, an operator canmanipulate the operation panel for dialing without opening the combinedmanuscript holder and record paper tray.

Moreover, when the combined manuscript holder and recording paper trayis raised up to the opened position, it is positioned to extend rearwardand obliquely upward behind the recording paper outlet opening.Therefore, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray canserve not only as a manuscript holder but as a recording paper tray.Still further, since this combined manuscript holder and recording papertray has a long length reaching to the front end of the front end whenit is closed, its length is sufficiently long enough to support a largesize recording paper or a manuscript in a stable condition, withoutincreasing overall size of the apparatus main body.

In other words, if it is allowed that this combined manuscript holderand recording paper tray can be made short, the apparatus main bodyitself can be made small correspondingly. Yet further, when the combinedmanuscript and recording paper tray is used at its opened position; i.e.when used as the manuscript holder, the cutout formed at the center ofthe upper end of the combined manuscript and recording paper tray canfacilitate or ease manual operations for setting manuscripts or takingout recording papers.

Secondly, the present invention has an another purpose, in view of aboveproblems and disadvantages encountered in the conventional art, toprovide an information communication apparatus such as a facsimilemachine wherein the layout of the dialing buttons are designed so as totake into consideration its operability.

To this end, a second aspect of the present invention provides aninformation communication apparatus which comprises a plurality ofdialing buttons consisting of a matrix of a plurality of lines and rows,and said plurality of lines and rows are disposed obliquely with respectto the front end of the apparatus main body so that these dialingbuttons are obliquely arrayed against an operator who stands directly tooppose to the apparatus main body. In this case, an inclination oflaterally arrayed buttons (i.e. an inclination of said line) isdetermined so as to obliquely rise rightward in the case where theapparatus is designed for right-handers. To the contrary, thisinclination of laterally arrayed buttons is determined to obliquely riseleftward in the case where the apparatus is designed for left-handers.

With this arrangement, in accordance with the present invention, anoperator can easily manipulate dialing buttons since the dialing buttonsare arrayed obliquely. Here, it is found that an inclined angle oflaterally arrayed buttons with respect to the front edge of theapparatus main body is preferable if it is in a range of 15 to 25degrees, from the view point of human engineering aspect in consideringthe relationship between the inclination of the laterally arrayedbuttons and their operability. Especially, an approximately 20 degreeswas best. By the way, an inclination of longitudinally arrayed dialingbuttons (i.e. an inclination of said row) is not so important for theoperability. However, it is preferable to arrange them so as to beperpendicular to the laterally arrayed buttons.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view showing an informationcommunication apparatus in accordance with the present invention inwhich its combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray is closed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view showing an informationcommunication apparatus in accordance with the present invention inwhich its combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray is opened;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the informationcommunication apparatus in the condition shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the informationcommunication apparatus in the condition shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the information communication apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (e) are view showing various modifications of thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray in accordance withthe present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic view showing a conventionalinformation communication apparatus.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, referring now to the accompanying drawings, an embodimentof the present invention is explained in detail.

In FIGS. 1 through 4, a reference numeral 11 denotes an apparatus mainbody (i.e. a main body of a facsimile machine). This apparatus main body11 includes a manuscript inlet opening 12 provided at the center of itsupper surface, a recording paper outlet opening 13 provided at its rearend, and an operation panel portion 14 provided at the center of itsfront end. This operation panel portion 14 comprises dialing buttons 14aand a display unit 14b and so on, which are used for ordinarycommunication functions other than transmission of manuscripts.

These dialing buttons 14a and display unit 14b of the operation panelportion 14 are disposed obliquely with respect to the apparatus mainbody 11, as shown in FIG. 5. In more detail, the dialing buttons 14a andthe display unit 14b are obliquely arrayed so as to rise rightward withrespect to the front edge of the apparatus main body 11. Such aninclined layout of dialing buttons 14a eases dialing operability forright-handers in this case, from the view point of human engineering.

As an inclined angle θ, a range from 15 to 25 degrees is preferable.Especially, 20 degrees is most preferable angle. In the case where theapparatus is designed for left-handers, above inclined layout should be,of course, oppositely arranged.

Furthermore, on the front end of the upper surface of the apparatus mainbody 11, there are provided various operation buttons 15 to be used whenmanuscripts are transmitted. These operation buttons 15 are positionedso as to be covered by a combined manuscript and recording paper tray 21that is described later in detail. Inside of the apparatus main body 11,there are housed a transmitting portion 17 and a receiving portion 19.The transmitting portion 17 functions to read a manuscript 16 insertedfrom the manuscript inlet opening 12 and to transmit it through anordinary communication network. And, the receiving portion 19 functionsto record received information on a recording paper 13 and to bring itout from the recording paper outlet opening 13. Moreover, there isprovided a manual cutter 20 just above the recording paper outletopening 13.

A reference numeral 21 is the combined manuscript holder and recordingpaper tray, which is hingedly supported on the apparatus main body 11adjacent to the recording paper outlet 13 so as to be opened or closed.When this combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 islocated at its opened position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 extends rearward andobliquely upward. To the contrary, when this combined manuscript holderand recording paper tray 21 is located at its closed position as shownin FIGS. 1 and 3, the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray 21 covers the upper surface of the apparatus main body 11.

Furthermore, in its closing operation, the rear end of the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 shifts forward to strideover the recording paper outlet opening 13. Therefore, the recordingpaper outlet opening 13 is opened to the air even when the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 is closed.

Still further, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray21 is formed in a curved configuration so as to fit to the curvature ofthe upper surface of the apparatus main body 11. And the length of thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 is so long as thefront (distal) end of the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray 21 reaches the front edge of the apparatus main body 11.

Yet further, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21has a cutout 22 formed on its front (distal) end portion, so that theoperation panel portion 14 can be exposed without being covered by thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21. That is, thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 can cover almostall the upper surface of the apparatus main body 11 except the operationpanel portion 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

By the way, the upper surface of the operation panel portion 14 isformed so as to slightly protrude upward from the upper surface of theapparatus main body 11. Then, this protruded amount is designed to besubstantially equal with the thickness of the combined manuscript holderand recording paper tray 21, so that the upper surface of the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 can be leveled with theupper surface of the operation panel portion 14 when the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 is closed. Such aconstitution is advantageous in bringing good appearance and realizingeasy dusting.

Hereinafter, an operation of the information communication apparatusconstituted as described above is explained.

In the case where frequency of receipt of letters is not so many, thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 is usuallypositioned at its closed condition as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. By thisoperation, almost all the upper surface of the apparatus main body 11including the manuscript inlet opening 12 is covered by the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21. Accordingly, it becomespossible to prevent dusts or small particles from entering inside of theapparatus main body 11. And further, it does not occupy a larger spacesince there is no member protruding upward or rearward from theapparatus main body 11.

When received a letter, the recording paper 18 is taken out from therecording paper outlet 13 after having been recorded at the receivingportion 19. In this case, since the combined manuscript holder andrecording paper tray 21 is positioned in front of the recording paperoutlet opening 13, the recording paper 18 can be brought out withoutbeing interfered with any obstruction. When the receiving operation isfinished, the only thing needed to do by an operator is cutting therecording paper 18 by use of the manual cutter 20.

Furthermore, in the case when this information communication apparatusis used as a normal telephone, the work of operator is simplymanipulating the operation panel portion 14 for dialing. It would beneedless to say that the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray 21 is kept at its closed position during the dialing operation forthe above telephone call. Therefore, compared with the previouslyexplained prior art, the dialing operation for the telephone callbecomes simple in that the combined manuscript holder and recordingpaper tray 21 is not required to open. Further, since the operationbuttons 15 are covered by the combined manuscript holder and recordingpaper tray 21, it is not feared that these operation buttons 15 aremistakenly operated.

Next, in the case when this information communication apparatus is usedas a facsimile machine, the combined manuscript holder and recordingpaper tray 21 is raised to its opened position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and4. In this case, an operator can hold the front edge of the combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 by hands, as well as bothsides of the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21.Therefore, an opening operation of the combined manuscript holder andrecording paper tray 21 becomes easy.

When the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 is inits opened position, the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray 21 is positioned to extend toward obliquely upward as shown in FIG.2. Thus, it becomes possible to feed a manuscript 16a or 16b to betransmitted into the manuscript inlet opening 12, by loading themanuscript 16a or 16 on the inclined slope of the combined manuscriptholder and recording paper tray 21. Here, since the combined manuscriptholder and recording paper tray 21 is so long as its front (distal) endreaches the front edge of the apparatus main body 11, it can stablysupport various sizes of manuscripts; for example, the manuscript 16a ofB4 size and the manuscript 16b of A4 size as shown in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, in supporting a larger manuscript such as the manuscript16a shown in FIG. 2, the cutout 22 formed at the front center of thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 does notdeteriorate the supporting stability. Because, the both ends of thelarger manuscript 16a can be supported firmly by both upper sides of thecombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21. It should berather noted that this cutout 22 eases a setting operation of amanuscript to be entered into the manuscript inlet opening 12. Because,this setting operation is normally carried out in such a manner that theoperator lays a manuscript on the slope of the combined manuscriptholder and recording paper tray 21 while holding the upper center of themanuscript. That is, an operator's hand is not obstructed by the upperend of the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21.

Next, in the case when the frequency of receipt of letters is relativelymany, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray 21 isnormally set in its opened position as shown in FIG. 4. By thisoperation, the recording papers 18 taken out from the recording paperoutlet opening 13 are piled up on the combined manuscript holder andrecording paper tray 21. Thus, the operator can easily collect numerousrecording papers. And further, it is apparent that the cutout 22 willfurther ease the operator gripping edges of the piled up recordingpapers in the above collecting operation.

The cutout 22 on the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray21 is not limited into the disclosed on in FIGS. 2 and 4, and can bemodified into any of cutouts 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, and 22E shown in FIGS.6 (a) to 6 (e).

As is apparent from the foregoing description, in accordance with thepresent invention, there is provided an improved informationcommunication apparatus (i.e. a facsimile machine in this embodiment).The apparatus essentially comprises: an apparatus main body; anoperation panel portion provided at a front end of an upper surface ofthe apparatus main body; a manuscript inlet opening provided atsubstantially the center of the upper surface of said apparatus mainbody; a recording paper outlet opening provided behind the manuscriptinlet opening on said apparatus main body; and a tray serving as amanuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray (i.e. a combinedmanuscript holder and recording paper tray) which is hingedly supportedat a rear end of the apparatus main body so as to be opened or closedbetween an opened position where the tray extends rearward and obliquelyupward and a closed position where the tray covers the upper surface ofthe apparatus main body.

And, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray is madelonger compared with the conventional one. That is, its length is longenough to reach the front edge of the apparatus main body when it is inits closed position. Furthermore, an another characteristic feature ofthis combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray is being formedwith a cutout at its front end so that the operation panel portion canbe exposed without being covered by the manuscript holder and combinedrecording paper tray.

Accordingly, when the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray is closed, it can serve as a cover plate concealing the manuscriptinlet opening so as to prevent any dusts or small particles fromentering into the apparatus main body from the manuscript inlet opening.At the same time, in this case, an operator can manipulate the operationpanel portion without opening any cover members since it exposes throughthe cutout formed on the combined manuscript holder and recording papertray. Therefore, for example, in the case where the apparatus is usedsimply as a telephone, an operator can manipulate the operation panelfor dialing without opening the combined manuscript holder and recordpaper tray.

Moreover, the combined manuscript holder and recording paper tray canserve not only as a manuscript holder but as a recording paper outlettray, when it is raised at its opened position. Still further, comparedwith the conventional apparatus, the present invention provides acombined manuscript holder and recording paper tray having a longerlength reaching to the front end of the front end when it is closed.Thus, it becomes possible to stably support a large size recording paperor a manuscript such as a B4 size paper, without increasing overall sizeof the apparatus main body.

Contrarily, in the case where this combined manuscript holder andrecording paper tray can be made short, the apparatus main body itselfcan be made small correspondingly.

Yet further, when the combined manuscript and recording paper tray isused as a manuscript holder, the cutout formed at its upper center canfacilitate or ease a manual operation for loading manuscripts or takingout recording papers.

Next, in accordance with an other aspect of the present invention, thereare provided a plurality of dialing buttons consisting of a matrix of aplurality of lines and rows, and these lines and rows are disposedobliquely with respect to the front end of the apparatus main body.Thus, these dialing buttons are obliquely arrayed against an operatorwho stands directly to oppose to the apparatus main body, therebyrealizing easy dialing operation. Because, an inclination of laterallyarrayed buttons is designed to obliquely rise rightward forright-handers, or designed to obliquely rise leftward for left-handers,by taking human engineering into consideration.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit of essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined by the appending claims rather than bythe description preceding them, and all changes that fall within meetsand bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds aretherefore intended to embraced by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information communication apparatus such as afacsimile machine comprising:an apparatus main body; an operation panelportion provided at a front end of an upper surface of the apparatusmain body; a manuscript inlet opening provided at substantially thecenter of the upper surface of said apparatus main body; a recordingpaper outlet opening provided behind the manuscript inlet opening onsaid apparatus main body; and a tray serving as a manuscript holder aswell as a recording paper tray which is hingedly supported at a rear endof the apparatus main body so as to be opened or closed between anopened position where the tray extends rearward and obliquely upward anda closed position where the tray covers the upper surface of theapparatus main body.
 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, inwhich said tray has a length enough to reach substantially a front edgeof the upper surface of the apparatus main body, when the tray islocated at said closed position where the tray covers the upper surfaceof the apparatus main body.
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,in which said tray has a cutout which exposes said operation panelportion even when the tray is located at said closed position where thetray covers the upper surface of the apparatus main body.
 4. Anapparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said operation panelportion is obliquely disposed with respect to a front edge of theapparatus main body.
 5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, inwhich said operation panel portion is provided to slightly protrudeupward from the upper surface of the apparatus main body.
 6. Anapparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which an upper surface of saidoperation panel portion is leveled with an upper surface of said traywhen the tray is located at said closed position.
 7. An informationcommunication apparatus such as a facsimile machine comprising:anapparatus main body; an operation panel portion provided at a front endof an upper surface of the apparatus main body; a recording paper outletopening provided at a rear end of said upper surface of the apparatusmain body; and a tray serving as a manuscript holder as well as arecording paper tray which is hingedly supported at a rear end of theapparatus main body so as to be opened or closed between an openedposition where the tray extends rearward and obliquely upward and aclosed position where the tray covers the upper surface of the apparatusmain body.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, in which a rearend of said tray is shifted forward so as to stride over the recordingpaper outlet opening when the tray is closed, thereby preventing thetray from covering the recording paper outlet opening.
 9. An informationcommunication apparatus such as a facsimile machine comprising:anapparatus main body; a manuscript inlet opening provided atsubstantially a center of an upper surface of said apparatus main body;a recording paper outlet opening provided behind the manuscript inletopening on said apparatus main body; an operation panel portion which isprovided at a front end of the upper surface of said apparatus main bodyand on which a plurality of buttons are arrayed to constitute a matrixof a plurality of lines and rows; a tray serving as a manuscript holderas well as a recording paper tray which is hingedly supported at a rearend of the apparatus main body so as to be opened or closed between anopened position where the tray extends rearward and obliquely upward anda closed position where the tray covers the upper surface of theapparatus main body; a cutout formed on said tray so as to expose theoperation panel portion when the tray is located at said closed positionwhere the tray covers the upper surface of the apparatus main body; andsaid lines constituted by said buttons being obliquely arranged withrespect to the front edge of the apparatus main body.
 10. An informationcommunication apparatus such as a facsimile machine comprising:anapparatus main body; an operation panel portion provided at a front endof an upper surface of the apparatus main body; a manuscript inletopening provided at substantially the center of the upper surface ofsaid apparatus main body; a recording paper outlet opening providedbehind the manuscript inlet opening on said apparatus main body; a trayserving as a manuscript holder as well as a recording paper tray whichis hingedly supported at a rear end of the apparatus main body so as tobe opened or closed between an opened position where the tray extendsrearward and obliquely upward and a closed position where the traycovers the upper surface of the apparatus main body; a cutout formed onsaid tray so as to expose the operation panel portion when the tray islocated at said closed position where the tray covers the upper surfaceof the apparatus main body; and said tray being located at said closedposition when the information communication apparatus is used as anormal telephone and, to the contrary, located at said opened positionwhen the information communication apparatus is used for transmitting amanuscript.
 11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein saidoperation panel portion includes at least a display unit which displaysan operational condition.